For Immediate Release
Contact: Larry Mason - LMR Marketing Communications - info@lmrmc.com

RACE CAR LARRY MASON ZOOMS INTO PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
Mason shares his dramatic year long recovery with hospitalized kids after
he broke both legs in a race car driving accident.

Phoenix, Ariz. (May 6, 2008) - Watching Larry Mason walk through the halls of Phoenix Children’s Hospital, you wouldn’t know that he survived a horrific race car accident several years back at the Dallas Grand Prix. He doesn’t use a wheel chair, a walker or a cane. His body healed and made a full recovery after breaking both legs and ankles. Mason visited PCH on Friday May 2nd and met with hospitalized children to share his dreams of making it one day to the Indianapolis 500. Young patients were inquisitive about his racing dreams, but were more interested to hear stories about how he made it through a painful hospital experience.

“What are you in for,” Mason asked tweens and teens. Mason examined pins sticking out of a boy’s leg as if he was a doctor. “I had pins just like that in my leg too,” Mason went on to say. One adolescent girl, also recovering from a car accident, complained about her painful rehab. Mason gave her encouragement and advice letting her know it does get better. “See, you are going to walk just like him once you get out of the hospital,” the young girl’s nurse whispered in her year.

This was Mason’s second visit to PCH. Back in March he was one of six members of Arizona’s region of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), the largest amateur motor sports club in the country, that brought their race cars to the hospital’s main entrance for show and tell. His bright red Formula Mazda was definitely eye-catching – so much so that it was featured on the channel 3 morning news. These “street cars turned race cars” and stock cars were in town for the 9th Annual Spring Racing Invitational at Phoenix International Raceway. Race proceeds collected by drivers and fans reached $17,000 to support Phoenix Children's Hospital.

Along with showing off the race cars, Mason brought his Bell racing helmet and Bell bicycle helmet to complement the “Jell-O brain” that PCH’s Injury Prevention specialist Susan Bookspan brought with her. The wobbly brain shows kids and parents how fragile our brains are and how we have to protect our heads with helmets while on bikes, or in Larry’s case – race cars.

Mason also brought his Polar Heart Rate Monitor and data to show just how physically demanding driving a race car can be. One graph showed his heart rate well above 170 beats per minute during the race! Fuze Beverage Company donated refreshments for PCH patients and visitors.

The kids must have been a good luck charm for Mason – he won his race this past Sunday. Mason is preparing to race in the Indy Racing League’s Firestone Indy Lights Championship. He’s currently seeking sponsorship to help reach that goal.

Mason recovered not only to race cars again, but also competes in sprint triathlons. He offered words of wisdom to kids at the hospital by wishing them a speedy recovery and handing out pencils for their school work. The pencils came with a motivational message, “Study hard and follow your dreams.”

About Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Phoenix Children’s Hospital is Arizona’s only licensed children’s hospital, providing world-class care in more than 40 pediatric specialties to our state’s sickest kids. Though Phoenix Children’s is one of the ten largest freestanding children’s hospitals in the country, rapid population growth in Arizona means the Hospital must grow as well. Phoenix Children’s recently announced a $588 million expansion plan to bring its special brand of family-centered care to even more patients and families. The plan includes a significant upgrade of the Hospital's current campus, an aggressive physician recruitment effort, and new satellite centers in high growth areas of the Valley. For more information, visit the Hospital’s Web site at www.phoenixchildrens.com.

About Larry Mason
An accomplished race car driver, Mason is a four-time champion in two different series who has set multiple track records along the way. Mason is characterized as a driver who displays the highest levels of desire, determination and persistence in seeking his goals. Mason is also an ACE-certified personal trainer and award-winning journalist. For more information visit www.lmrmc.com.

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A Jell-O brain and two different types of head protection, Larry Mason's Bell auto racing and Bell bicycle helmet.
Photo by Larry Mason

 

Larry Mason visiting with Trissa, a patient at PCH, in one of the play rooms.
Photo by Allison Bell

 

Larry Mason is on the grid and ready to race in his Formula Mazda race car.
Photo by Jim Wooldridge

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